There will come a day when mankind discovers the means to leave his solar system, to strike out into the galaxy and the myriad of stars and worlds beyond his own. There will come a great and terrible shock, because beyond that safe border, the galaxy is bright, and full of monsters

Each time mankind ventures into a new realm of exploration, he returns with tales of incredible creatures. Be it from the new continent, the tops of the mountains, or the depths of the seas. It is the acme of foolishness to assume that space would be empty of lifeforms. The forms that these new biologies took simply defied conventional physics or chemistry

Methinks we have hugely mistaken this matter of Life and Death. Methinks that what they call my shadow here on earth is my true substance. Methinks that in looking at things spiritual, we are too much like oysters observing the sun through the water, and thinking that thick water the thinnest of air. Me thinks my body is but the lees of my better being. In fact take my body who will, take it I say, it is not me.”

The Qualm is a giant mass of tentacles and leaves with hundreds of mouth-like pods lined with teeth. It is about 1/8 of the size of Earth's moon, and it travels through space looking for nutrient rich planets that it can suck dry.

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Dubious Instructions

“Lay thee patiently and still upon the ground, contemplating the Leper Star in the firmament, 'neath a crescent moon, ‘midst the graves of a boneyard 'til the G’na-Shennu come crawling up from the foetid earth. Fear them not. Let them rage about thee, casting ghoul-dust from their chalky talons and scalps,'til they calm, and so begin to whisper their secrets. Then shall they solemnly withdraw into the earth once more, in peace."